A conventional dropside cot comprises a base for supporting a mattress or the like, two upstanding ends, there being an upstanding end at each of opposite ends of the base, and two sides, there being a side at each of opposite sides of the base. The ends are usually solid ends whereas the sides are usually relatively open. In particular, each side usually comprises a top rail and a bottom rail which are joined by a plurality of equally spaced vertical bars. One side is usually fixed in a permanently upstanding position relative to the base, similar to the ends. The other side is a movable side or dropside, being capable of being moved from a raised position matching that of the other side and a lowered position to facilitate access to the cot. At each end of the cot there is a catch for engagement with the movable side of the cot when in its raised position in order to retain it in that position until the catches are released so that the movable side can be lowered. It is a feature of a dropside cot that the movable side is designed to be readily raised and lowered on an everyday basis, and usually on an every occasion of use basis. Therefore, it is not held in either its raised or lowered positions by fastenings that require tools to effect their release.
This conventional dropside cot has served well for many years. However, it is not altogether free of problems. First of all, because two catches are used to retain the movable side in its raised position, both catches must be released simultaneously to allow the side to be lowered. Furthermore, because the catches are at opposite ends of the cot, the simultaneous release of both catches requires a person to use both hands to achieve this. This may require a person carrying an infant to the cot to put the infant down in order to free both hands.
The vertical bars of the sides of the cot can be useful for an infant to pull itself up to a kneeling or standing position, assuming that the infant is old enough to be capable of doing this. However, the bars also present a problem in that they are hard and relatively rigid and can hurt an infant falling against them. Another problem can arise because of the spaces between the bars. An infant can have a limb protrude through the bars. While that in itself is not a problem, a problem does arise if the infant then assumes a body position where the limb is caught by the bars. The problem is greater if a very small infant can pass its head between the bars.
German Patent DE 20004390 U 1 (Schinkel) has done away with the vertical bars at the sides of the cot by using a woven fabric material extending between top and bottom rails at each side of the cot. At each end of the cot, the corresponding ends of the top and bottom rails are attached to the respective end-frame by having bolts pass through boltholes provided in the end-frames and into threaded boltholes provided in the ends of the top and bottom rails. The top and bottom rails can be set at different heights relative to the end-frames depending on which of several boltholes at different heights in the end-frames are used. Thus, when a child becomes old enough, the top rails maybe reset in a lower position so that the cot becomes more like a bed in appearance. However, this cot is not a dropside cot because neither of its sides is designed to be raised and lowered on an everyday basis, and usually on an every occasion of use basis. The use of bolts or the like is necessary in the cot of the German patent because the top and bottom rails form part of the cot framework but this means that a tool and significant time are required to change the height settings of the rails. Therefore the convenience of being readily able to raise and lower at least one side of the cot to facilitate access to the cot on every occasion of use is lost.
It is an object of the invention to address any one or more of the above-mentioned problems. Alternatively or additionally, it is an object of the invention to provide the public with a useful choice.